shiver me timbers

I have a definite 'thing' for the mystique and romance of the high seas. Nevermind that I turn green and empty the contents of my stomach whenever I myself dare to step aboard a boat. In my imagination, I'm deftly making my way across the deck, nimbly climbing the rigging or navigating the open ocean with my mad math skillz (snort). The drama and the sense of adventure that accompany seafaring tales always interest me. Be it a hot romance novel set onboard a ship, Johnny Depp in a pirate movie (rawr!) or British period mini-series about the Napoleanic Wars...I'm there. So when my netflix delivery this week turned out to be an episode of Horatio Hornblower, even though I had forgotten putting it on my queue sometime long ago, I was excited to curl up on a rainy day (today) and watch it.

The miniseries is an adaptation of the naval adventure series written by C.S. Forester. During my peace corps days, I listened to several audio versions of the books and found them to be both exciting yarns of derring do but also a fascinating character study of a man who is both shy and cerebral but also fierce and courageous. During the course of the series, he makes his way up the naval career ladder by using his quick wits and intelligence as well as a bloody good lot of luck. In this particular episode, Horatio goes from being an unemployed captain (war being temporarily over makes for an oversupply of naval officers) to being put in charge of a ship and sent on a secret mission to France. As always, he ends up entangled in the thick of some action and we're treated to raids on forts, cannons being blown up, hand to hand combat and lotsa ships shooting at each other. What could be better than lots of men waiving their big swords around? Waiving their big guns? lol. *ahem*

What do these films have to offer the romance fan? Well, for one thing there is plenty of chisel jawed Ioan (prounced yo-ahn) Gruffud to gaze upon. Then there are those lovely sailing ships and period costumed sailors and officers. Best of all, the hearty male camaraderie and brotherhood amongst the characters is touching and dare I say, has a hint of something deeper? Ok, I'm sure it was never meant to be seen as such, but my mind goes where it will. heh. So sue me.

Go swash a buckle and check this series out.

Bleak Weather, Bleak House

It snowed today. Quite a lot actually for this area. So we all got to go home at noon and my night class was cancelled. Hooray for snow days! I took the opportunity to curl up with my latest period mini-series and appropriately enough on a bleak winter day, I watched the entire set of episodes to Bleak House, all 15 of them. Just finished a few minutes ago.

How was it, you ask? Very entertaining, very good. Why the hell can't we clone the BBC and have a few of them over here making movies on a constant basis? In any event, I'm too tired to write a review. I did, however, find a very comprehensive write-up elsewhere on the web and you can find it by clicking here if you're interested.

High points include Anna Maxwell Martin as the central female character. She's got quite a unique face and very serene yet strong presence. I liked her a lot in North and South and it was nice to see her in a larger role here.

Oh and there is some little known actress named Gillian Anderson that shows up now and again...you might have heard of her? Yeah, actually I never did watch an entire episode of the X-files but it was still a bit weird to see her in period dress and speaking with a British accent. Not bad, just weird. I think she did quite a nice job. Very cold and aloof and stuffy. Lovely, dahling...

Alright, off to bed. Too bad the snow has stopped and I will have to go back to work tomorrow but at least we've been told the office opens an hour later than usual. One more hour to sleep in! Or to get up and read some more of Chesapeake Blue. I do love those Quinn boys!

Period mini-series watch-a-thon

And you thought I was going to talk about that neat Jane Austen fest that's going down over at PBS starting tomorrow....

Nope. (Although I do have my DVR set up to record and all). I've been ensconced in a veritable plethora of BBC dramas thanks to my friend GailK. Yesterday and today I watched an adaptation of Edith Wharton's The Buccaneers (whose cast included a very young Mira Sorvino) and this evening I have gotten 1/3 of the way through George Eliot's Middlemarch. tumperkin, I have spotted dear Rufus and he is a doll. Here's hoping he gets the girl in the end. I still have Bleak House and Elizabeth the Virgin Queen to get through as well. Good times.

In other news I did a bit of shopping today and managed to snag some post-holiday clean-out-the-store sales. I love a good bargain, and I REALLY love shopping for clothes in my new size(s). Speaking of sizes, what is up with standard sizing? It seems that every single label has their own chart because I never know what I should try on and end up grabbing 4, 6 and 8 and it's a crap-shoot as to which will be my size. pfft. Anyways, cute clothes inspire one to keep up the healthy habits and whatnot. I even did pilates in front of the TV whilst watching my period dramas. *g*

On the reading front, I finished DoY (le sigh) and let me just say that Richard Armitage plays a fantastic Derek. At least in my head he does. Now I'm a chapter or so into Devil's Bride. And wouldn't you know it, but the hero is dark and handsome and I might just have to slot poor Richard into playing that role as well. One can never have too much Richard, imho. Nor too much of this picture.

More movies to recommend

Seems like my blog has become more of a movie review area than a book review site lately. Guess all that TV I watched over the holidays with the family and/or boyfriend has something to do with that. Anyways, I simply must throw in a little post about the movie we watched last night. I recently discovered that I have in fact had BBC America on my line-up all along (and all this time I assumed that I didn't and have been missing hours and hours of RICHard in Robin Hood...arg!) Annnyways, I saw a preview for what looked like a historically set movie with a romance, so naturally I set up my DVR to record it.

Under the Greenwood Tree is based on a novel by Thomas Hardy. Unlike my previous experiences with Hardy, however, everyone does not die in the end. Hooray! This is a cute little story about a simple village with rather ordinary people. Miss Fancy Day has recently moved into the village to be the new schoolmistress. In very short order she finds herself being courted by not only the richest farmer in the area (a rather blustery and chubby old fellow) but also a poor working man and the local parson. To mix things up even more, the parson is dead set upon pulling his little village into the modern era whether they're ready or not. He's just purchased a "harmonium" (an organ?) to replace the "choir" that has traditionally provided music in church. He wants Fancy to play the new instrument which automatically sets her up as something of a usurper in her new hometown. Fancy's father is dead set upon her marrying up and actively encourages the suit of Mr. Shiner, the richest man in town. But Fancy finds herself drawn to poor Dick Dewey (yes, you have to love the name) despite her better judgement as to who makes the best husband material.

What I enjoyed about this movie was that it felt gentle and charming. None of the main characters are part of the gentry, they are all country folk. It all felt very sweet. Also, the actors seemed very well cast. The handsome young country boy was played by James Murray, whom I don't think I've ever seen anywhere, but he was adorable. Check out those blue eyes!

Viewers of the Forsyte Saga will also recognize Parson Maybold as none other than Montague Darty. A bit of a change, but he does well as the pompous if well-meaning preacher with a very high opinion of himself.

Fans of light romantic drama set in Britain will probably want to put this one on the netflix queue. I'd recommend it for an evening of relaxation. It's no North and South (but really, that is in a category all of it's own) but in it's own way a very nice little film.

The Saga of the Forsytes

This will be a short post because I'm tired and need sleep. My brother, boyfriend and I spent the entire day watching the whole Forsyte Saga set of DVDs. I think there are like 10 episodes. It really did take all day. lol.

I would try to explain the plot but it would go something like, there's this family, and one of the guys runs away with his daughter's nanny and then his cousin marries this woman who never loves him and then the first guy's daughter's fiance falls in love with the cousin's wife and then they try to run away together but that doesn't work out and then she leaves her husband and eventually marries the FIRST guy and would you believe that her son and her ex-husband's daughter end up falling for each other? And it actually gets even longer, more twisted around and complicated. But oh what fun! The sets are lovely, the costumes gorgeous. And what could be better than watching beautiful British-speaking people emoting on camera? I ask you.

North and South Week!! - Day 2

Well as you will have seen from Kristie(J)'s blog post of yesterday, this week we are celebrating the greatness that is the BBC mini-series North and South. I can't talk about this amazing film without first thanking all of the nice people over at AAR who recommended the movie and mentioned it enough times to get the title lodged into my thick brain. I've never been quite so glad that I took advice from strangers. lol.

Like Kristie, sometimes when I get stuck on something, I really get stuck. Downright addicted. After watching this movie, I couldn't stop thinking about it. And yes, of course Richard Armitage's hotness factor may have something to do with it, but I like to think that it was more than just that. The whole story and the way the characters grow and change over the course of the film really stayed in my mind. It's not often that you get to watch a fair visual representation of the kind of novels you read on a regular basis, but that's exactly how I found North and South. Sure, the book isn't a classic romance novel per se, but the emphasis of the film is squarely on the developing relationship between mill owner John Thornton and bluestocking social justice heroine Margaret Hale. And rather than descend into schlocky Lifetime-movie-of-the-week cheesiness, this movie respects both the source material and the audience. Richard Armitage in particular does a fantastic job of showing Mr. Thornton's inner struggle between his responsibilities to his workers and to his company and his desire for Margaret. You can see it in his eyes, the way he holds his shoulders, the twist of his mouth. I'm completely bowled over (obviously) and I can't help but take any opportunity to help other lucky souls get a chance to watch this movie.

Anyways, enough of my rambling...without further ado, here is the second part of our girly pajama party. Be forewarned, it really was a pajama party and all of the silly squeeing one might expect from such a gathering is definitely present. Hey, we're all professional women but sometimes it's fun to kick back with the gals and go a little crazy. *g* Enjoy...


KatieBabs: So, yellow flowers?
Kristie(J): and what do they signify
KatieBabs: friendship
Sula: Remember at the beginning?
Kristie(J): Henry gave her one and it meant nothing. But John had to SEARCH to find the one he gave her
KatieBabs: Good catch!
Sula: Yeah, and those were flowers from HER house
KatieBabs: and Margaret kissed the hand that gave her the flower which is John just like he had to search his heart to let Margaret in
Sula: Part of what she missed (I think) was the countryside ‘cause the city they moved to...no flowers
Sula: oooh
Kristie(J): I like that!
Sula: that's deep, katiebabs
Kristie(J): You rock
KatieBabs: Deep thoughts...
Sula: You know...everyone was telling me in the thread at AAR how much I was going to melt when I saw the last scene (this as I had only seen the first disc)... but I didn't really believe it until I watched the train station scene...omg

Kristie(J): The train scenes where she is looking out the window. The movie starts with that and ends with it
KatieBabs: But what does the train rides mean?
Kristie(J): A journey to a new life
KatieBabs: The train scene is one of the most romantic I have ever watched in movies or TV
Sula: Yes exactly, Katiebabs
Kristie(J): It is isn't it!
Sula: It was like..."this is IT!" This is what romance is all about! This is why I read this stuff!
Kristie(J): Yep! A visual of what we read and why we love it so
Sula: Exactly! And the actors played it so well
KatieBabs: When Margaret kisses his hands and then he grabs her face and they kiss like no tomorrow and her poor sad sap neighbor is watching, I started clapping.
Kristie(J): He doesn't grab her face. *g* He gently touches it
Sula: I was squeeing...quite literally tenderly holds it. I think the word caress would work
KatieBabs: He touches her face so sexily. If I was him I would have found a train outhouse for an hour *g*
Kristie(J): Although I think it was out of character for the times - that scene made the movie
Sula: Well, they DID have a private compartment in the train
KatieBabs: I was wondering why no one noticed them smooching?
Kristie(J): Can you imagine all that passion of his released
Sula: I agree Kristie, and I didn't mind one bit if that was a little historically inaccurate
Kristie(J): *shiver*
Sula: *thud*
KatieBabs: After the credits rolled, they pulled down the train screen and had a nice ride
Sula: bwaha!
Kristie(J): But waited until they were married *g*
KatieBabs: sure sure. The wedding night! Need a fan!
Sula: omg, I loved "are you coming home with me?"
Kristie(J): Ah yes!
Sula: Home!
Kristie(J): And his smile
KatieBabs: All the sexual tension between them! And their smiles between them
Kristie(J): So - the casting - what did you think?
Sula: Well, um, Richard Armitage. Nuff said. Where the HELL has this man been all my life?!?
Kristie(J): How about Margaret?
Sula: She was well-cast too, I think. She's strong but she also manages to be vulnerable, wise and naive at the same time
KatieBabs: Great casting! Loved the girl who played Margaret
Sula: Yeah, I love me some Gerry Butler, but Richard Armitage... Wow

Kristie(J): And Higgins! I loved him. Although just a worker, he showed such intelligence and kindness. I loved the scene where he said he would have to leave his brains at home
Sula: yeah, that was funny
KatieBabs: I really like how N&S portrayed the different types of families.
Sula: I think it is interesting how all of these characters who shouldn't be friends manage to build relationships with each other over the course of the film
KatieBabs: Father and daughters, mother and sons...
Kristie(J): bosses and employees
KatieBabs: good catch Kristie!
Sula: Also, I think that Margaret's family was much more dysfunctional than Thornton's. At least in Thornton's family, they TALKED. Even the silly sister, she was upfront with what she felt. But in Margaret's family, it was all hidden
Kristie(J): I do too. It wasn't in the original, but in the cut, it was Margaret who had to tell her mother they were moving to Milton because her father was too weak too
KatieBabs: But even though the Thornton's had money they weren't snobs or spent crazy
Sula: Hell, Margaret's father moved them up to a strange city without telling them why he quit his job
Kristie(J): I think the mother was a bit of a snob
KatieBabs: the mother was weak. Such the opposite from John's mother
Kristie(J): And Margaret’s mother was very weak
Sula: I think Thornton's mom was proud of her son and if she was a snob it was because she had been treated like crap when she was poor and now she's on top
KatieBabs: How was Margaret so strong with weak parents?
Kristie(J): She had to be because the weren't. And her brother was gone.
Sula: Someone had to be strong in the family and he wasn't strong either when you see him come home
KatieBabs: Both John and Margaret were well spoken and intelligent. John escaped by taking walks
Kristie(J): Yes - that was a scene that played quite often - both of them walking up the hill alone
Sula: Now they can walk together
KatieBabs: They can walk hand in hand and pick flowers
Sula: hey speaking of walking up and down that hill...I thought the BBC did a great job with the sets
Kristie(J): and then have hot heavy sex
Sula: lol
KatieBabs: and take train rides with the shade down
Kristie(J): after they are married
KatieBabs: sex among the yellow flowers
Sula: of course
Sula: sex on a train
KatieBabs: of course after they are married
Sula: sex against a tree
Kristie(J): with John unleashing all his passion
KatieBabs: I wonder how many children they would have?
KatieBabs: ACK trees!
Kristie(J): against a tree
Sula: Oh i think Margaret would be a little firecracker in bed too
Kristie(J): Don't know but it would be fun making 'em
Sula: They have that big house to fill
KatieBabs: let me take a minute to visualize John and Margaret up against a tree...
Sula: *takes a moment*
Sula: shiver
Kristie(J): better yet - John and one of us
Kristie(J): pause
Sula: memememememeeee!
Sula: pick me!
Kristie(J): no me!

...and we'll pick up again tomorrow back at Kristie(J)'s! Hope you enjoyed your time with us and if you still haven't seen this movie...well, what are you waiting for?!?!?!

Elizabeth - A golden age that's lost its lustre

I have a very clear memory of watching Elizabeth back in my college days. I was the editor of the arts and entertainment section of our school newspaper and I got to see many a film as part of my job. This particular movie made quite an impression on me. From the first gritty moments of a heretic burning at the stake to the final fade-out to the Virgin Queen's mask-like pale face, I was engrossed and quite taken with this realistic, in-your-face version of history. Cate Blanchett was absolutely luminous, and even to this day, I truly feel that it was a role she was born to play.

Tonight, I saw the follow-up film, Elizabeth - The Golden Age. While I'm not in the mood to critique and write up a real "review" (too lazy, see post number 1 on this blog), I will say that it sadly does not live up to its predecessor. Still visually striking, what is missing is the heart and soul and sheer passion that made the first film work. It feels like a series of vignettes, stylish but ultimately lacking in substance. We see Elizabeth in all her glory, bedecked and bejeweled. We see her in more reflective moments, stripped of her adornments, with shorn hair and pale features which are beginning to show the fine lines of age. Here comes Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen, looking as handsome as ever) to play some sort of a hero, but his simultaneous wooing of both Elizabeth and her closest lady-in-waiting rings hollow and makes him quite a lot less than heroic. There is gore and blood, torture and grimy prison scenes that seem more calculated to shock than to drive the plot. The film climaxes in the destruction of the Spanish Armada and Elizabeth's triumph as the leader of her people. Through it all, the filmmakers seem to have fallen prey to the temptation to rely on lavish costuming, sets and visual techniques at the expense of the characters and the plot. While Blanchett is still perfectly cast as the iron-hearted heroine with razor-sharp intelligence and not just a hint of vantiy, even she can't save the film.

My verdict: If you loved the first film, then you should probably see this one if only for the pleasure of seeing Blanchett reprise such a powerful role as well as lots of pretty (and overdone) period costumes. But $8.50 is a lot to pay for this pleasure; I would save it for the netflix queue. C+